An investigation on individual students' perceptions of interest utilizing a blended learning approach

Research has established that individual student interest has a positive effect on learning and academic achievement. However, little is known about the impact of a blended learning approach on individual student interest and whether combinations of online and face-to-face learning activities significantly enhance student interest. This paper assesses the effect of blended learning on perceived individual student interest, utilizing a blend of online and face-to-face discussions. The study employed a quasi-experimental design consisting of two different treatment groups, online discussions versus face-to-face discussions. Data were analyzed using the t-test technique. Results from the study suggest that there was no statistical difference in subjects' perception of interest in both the online and face-to-face discussions. How-ever, from observation, subjects in the online discussions were eager to engage in textual dialogue and therefore, participated more in the discussions compared to the face-to-face discussions. Copyright © 2010 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).